My top War Movies

My top favorite war movies of all time
On
February 25, 2010
In the past two years I have taken a massive interest in war movies, models, museum exhibits and so on and so forth. When I get bored I go to the hobby store down the road (we actually have two hobby shops near our town!). I've built B-17s, Junker JU 188s, Corsairs, Zeros, and tons more. On top of the models, I love to watch war movies. From the John Wayne movies to Band of Brothers. So I decided to compile some of my favorite War movies; and not just from WW II. I'm going to give you a short summary of some of my favorite ones. Before we begin, I want recommend two other great movies. One being The Battle Of The Bulge and The Patriot. Here we go.

10. Saving Private Ryan



This is a great movie to start off. It starts off on D-Day, June 6th 1944, and works threw till D-day plus 5 I think. The story is mainly surrounding a special unit sent out to find a 101st airborne private who's brothers were killed in action and hes the last one alive. So they Send Tom Hanks' Ranger squad to find him. They encounter heavy German resistance threw out France until the find private Ryan (Matt Damen). The final battle scene is wicked too. The movie has a great cast and a few wild twists and turns and awesome character development. I think a great dialogue piece is when Captain Miller and the Sargent are disguising the men that have fought and died under their command. The war scenes are unbelievably amazing; starting with the opening D-Day scene. A must see movie.

"What the hell is a "Sticky Bomb", Sir?"


9. 12 O'Clock High


Gregory Peck kicks some serious ass in this movie. In the wake of the failing day light bombing raids over Germany, the 8th air force is falling apart due to a drop in moral. In steps Gregory Peck to whip them into shape. He delivers one of his best acting roles in this movie. He is tough and takes no shit. Really the underline story to this movie is about how a lot of pilots went nuts from losing so many men in the air. Can't say enough good things about this one.

" Bar Keep... This bar is CLOSED! Till further notice."

8. Valkyrie



Wait... wait..! I know this movie isn't Retro yet but this is a great movie. Its about the plot to kill Hitler in July of 1944. Tom Cruise is chosen by an under ground resistance to assassinate Hitler. They fear that if he stays in power, Germany will be annihilated by the allies so they want to take him out of power before that happens. The plot has many problems and people who try to get in their and the "who can they trust" factors. They rewrite Valkyrie so that they can control the German army; Valkyrie was Hitlers contingency plan if he is kill so the Third Reich can go on without him. Trust me, this is a good one and is a great story. Makes you wonder if they had killed him, how would the war have been different?

"They Swore an oath. An oath that won't just die with Hitler."


7. Full Metal Jacket



This one is a hit or miss I noticed with a lot of people. Its a great physiological movie. Everyone, and anyone knows the intro segment with the drill Sargent and the famous line, " What's your name scum bag!?" The rest of the movie is about Vietnam, right after the Tet offensive which is when the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) attacked during the new years eve truce. Sargent Joker is sent into "the shit" as a new reporter to get the real, in the dirt story of them men fighting on the front line. He meets up with his old buddy , Cowboy, and his platoon in the front. Each man tries to prove he can take whatever the enemy throws at them. This movie has many great physiological pieces too it, for example the sniper part (I'm not gonna ruin it for you, just check it out).

"Let me see your war face! You call that a war face!?

6. Platoon



Any other good Vietnam movie. This one also has a lot to do with psychological warfare. Charlie Sheen is a rich kid who joins the army and is sent to Vietnam. The platoon he joins in spit into to parts; the guys who follow Sargent Barns and those who follow Sargent Ellis. Kinda like stoners vs. drunks almost. Anyway, Barns takes it too far and murders and few innocent people and Ellis is out to get him and Charlie Sheen is caught in the middle. Tons of great actors in this movie. Once the movie picks up, its awesome.


"you anit no firing squad you son of a bitch!"


5. A Bridge To Far


This one probably should be number one on my list. Great cast, great story, all around kick ass movie. It stars Micheal Caine, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, and James Caan just to name a few. The movie takes place during Operation Market Garden which was a larger attack by the allies then D-Day. The plan was to liberate Holland with British, Canadian,, Irish, and America forces all attacking at once. Sad to say the attack fails and the allies plan to get over the Rhine into Germany by Christmas is shot. There is several different stories going on during the movie, one about the tank battalion, the British airborne, the German defense, and the American land and airborne troops.


"I've lost 2,000 troops, had loonies laugh at me, do you think a cup of tea will help..?"

4. Tora, Tora, Tora!



The real Pearl Harbor movie, not a lame ass love movie with Ben assface (Kate Beckinsale is smoking hot though!).
Instead of a love story, this movie looks at the December 7th surprise attack by the Japanese air and navel forces in the early that morning of that day. On the technical aspect more or less. It looks at the planing and if it could have been avoided and all the events leading up to the attack. Its based on the American forces intelligences and all the facts they had and the possibility of preventing the attack. Never the less, they still attack and almost cripple the America navel forces in the pacific.



".....I fear we have awoken a sleeping giant...."

3. Memphis Belle


This is a short war movie, but its got some great parts in it. To me, its like a counter story to 12 O'clock High; like 8th MS team is to Gundam 0079. The Memphis Belle was the 1st B17 bomber that completed all 25 bomber missions over Europe. The movie takes place right as the squad is going to take their last mission. Pretty much the air force wants to make them into celebrities for being the 1st to complete all 25 missions. The crew is on edge over the glory and some take it better then others. Their final mission is to fly a bomber raid mission over Germany which is 1943 was a lot farther then it seemed. This movie also had a lot of great character development. I really like the two waste gunners dialogue and how they have this love hate relationship.


" Ok boys, lets make this our best run yet."

2. Patton


OK, now I know I said this before, but for me, this should be number one. Patton was Americas, let alone the Allies, strongest general. He cleaned up the the 3rd army in North Africa and lead them to victory threw out Europe. The movie is a time line of when Patton become the commander in North Africa till he was removed after the fall of Berlin in 1945; mainly because he was starting hot water over our Russia Allies. His mouth gets him into trouble a few times, but he totally kicks the Germans back over the Rhine. The movie displays how much of a great warrior he was and how he would not let anything stop his troops. My favorite scene is when he rescues the 101st airborne during the siege during the battle of the Bulge.


".....200 years ago.... i was...... here..."


OK now, here comes number one. and its not a movie. Ya sorry I probably should have called this my favorite war flicks TV and movies , but I really didn't watch Hogans Heroes or M.A.S.H! Any way, number one is:



1. Band Of Brothers

This for me, is the ultimate war mini series (and I can't wait for the new series about the pacific coming out) of all time. Its about the 101st airborne and their struggle in Europe. Its the whole campaign from their training in Taccoa, Georgia, till this discharge after the Fall of German. My two favorite stories are Sargent Lipton's and the Medics. The series has a great cast, tons of cameos and just a great visual aspect of world war 2.


Thank you for reading my article. Hope you enjoyed it. take care.
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